I love this chapter. It's my favorite so far.

Chapter X

Percy

Percy reopens his eyes to find both Pontus and Thalassa staring at him intently. Neither of them looks away, or even blinks. It starts to creep him out a little, and he really wants to look somewhere else. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the water start to shimmer, and solidify into a shape. He knows instantly that it's a gift from his dad, and realizes that he has to keep Pontus and Thalassa distracted until it has solidified completely.

"What would you want me to do, if I did agree?" He asks. They seem a bit taken aback by his question, but they answer.

"You'd lead the army, of course." Thalassa says.

"Why?" This time, his question isn't just a distraction. He's genuinely curious. Why wouldn't they lead the army themselves?

"Because, you have experience fighting, boy." Pontus answers. "And Poseidon wouldn't want to kill you, so he might hold back, which would give you-or someone else-the chance to destroy him. Also, why would we fight on the front lines when we have the oppurtunity to just sit back and relax?"

Percy is disgusted by them. By their laziness, and their egotistical, selfish ways. And by their tactics, which are underhanded and dirty. His anger builds, and he snatches his dad's gift out of the water next to him, where it's somehow managed to form without the others noticing.

Thalassa shrieks, and Pontus' face turns pale. Percy points his weapon at them, a natural, deadly extension of his arm. He spins it once through the water, which might be difficult for anyone else, especially because of its length, but is ridiculously easy for him.

"I won't fight my father. Not now, not ever. He's always cared for me. And no one threatens my friends." He says in a low, dangerous voice. And then he attacks, with both his powers and his body.

First, he yells in defiance, and sends a shockwave through the water that somehow shreds through Thalassa's mental control on the sea monster, stunning it, and knocks both Thalassa and Pontus into the wall. Then he uses the currents to propel him forward, raising his weapon high over his head as he goes.

Pontus rolls aside just before Percy can stab him. And then he whirls around, drawing his own weapon as he does so, a huge black broadsword that he wields easily. He strikes downward, and Percy spins out of the way just in time to avoid a fatal blow. But he misjudges the length of Pontus' sword, and the tip of the blade slashes across his back. Percy cries out as he feels white-hot pain burn a stripe across his back from his left shoulder to his right hip. But then his anger takes over, and the pain disappears. He turns to face Pontus once more, deflecting another strike with the handle of his weapon. And then he stabs his new trident straight through Pontus' heart. Blue-green light flickers along its length and into the man's chest, melting him into shadowy black water that quickly dissolves in the light.

He turns to Thalassa, who is cowering against the wall, still dazed from the shockwave. He holds his new toy loosely, but keeps it pointed threateningly at her. She whimpers in fear, her eyes wide, and Percy stops in surprise. He's not used to immortals being afraid of him. But it gives her time to regather her wits, and before he can start forward again, she starts to sing.

It sounds like there's more than one person singing, but that doesn't bother Percy. The sound is so beautiful, even though there aren't any words. The melodies overlap and compliment each other, and it makes Percy wonder why he's holding his trident. He should be peaceful, like the song. It's such a pretty sound. It fills his mind until all other thoughts are blotted out completely.

And then a voice croons into his mind, whispering to him gently, telling him he should drop his weapon. He should put down his trident. He should...he should get back to Annabeth.

And just like that, Thalassa's hold over him is broken once again. He stumbles backwards, just like the first time he broke her hold, and she stands, her once-beautiful features completely transformed.

Oh, Percy's sure she's still beautiful. But the expression on her face is so purely evil that it fills his veins with ice. She snarls, her eyes no longer clear. Now, they are as coal black as Pontus' were. Like two black holes. And they are filled with anger. Her lips peel back to reveal pointed teeth and a forked tongue like the sea monster's.

Her hands are curled into claws at her sides, and her hair swirls around her face like snakes, just completing the image of evil. But Percy doesn't care. She doesn't scare him anymore. She has no power over him. So he points his trident at her, energy and light once more crackling along its length.

She snarls again, and moves forward, but then a rumble comes from just behind and to the left of Percy, so loud that he can feel it in the soles of his feet. His eyes glance back, and he can't believe what he sees.

The sea monster, Roseus, has his teeth bared at his old mistress, and is growling menacingly. Percy's shockwave must have knocked the rubies loose, because most of them are lying on the floor beneath him. The thing that surprises Percy most, though, is that Roseus' razor-sharp fin is hovering over his head protectively.

Percy doesn't have time to wonder about it though. He turns back to Thalassa. She's staring in shock at her 'pet,' now turned against her. But her attention quickly snaps back to Percy when he levels his trident at her chest. Her eyes flick down to the weapon, then back up at Percy's face. Her eyes burn with hatred.

"You will regret this, Perseus Jackson! Pontus was the incarnation of the deep seas, of the darkness and shadows of the ocean. He could not touch your ship. But I am the incarnation of the water just under the surface, and I can and will come after you! Your friends will never be safe again!" She screeches at him. Then she dissolves into the water and shoots out of her coral palace, the force of her passing nearly causing Percy to fall back on his butt. She screams as she leaves, wailing like an angry banshee.

Percy stands his trident upright and leans against it, looking down the corridor after Thalassa.

"Women." He says, shaking his head. The sea monster rumbles in agreement, and Percy looks at him. They eye each other warily, and then Percy suddenly bursts out laughing. Roseus snorts in indignation, bobbing his head up and down just like a normal horse would. When Percy finally straightens, wiping his eyes, the sea monster's gaze is just a little hostile.

"I'm sorry, man, it's just..." Here he nearly starts laughing again, just thinking about it, "you have a ruby stuck on your forehead, and it's making you look like some sort of crazed unicorn." Roseus looks up, as if he could actually see it, and then shakes his giant head wildly, trying to get it off.

Percy can't help it. He starts laughing again, tears streaming from is eyes, until he's gasping for breath and his stomach hurts. By the time he's finished, Roseus has stopped shaking his head and is glaring at him again.

"Here, man, I'll get it for you." Percy leans his trident against the wall, both so that it's not in the way and to show Roseus that he doesn't mean him any harm. He goes up to the sea monster's head and climbs up, using his scales as hand and foot holds. He pries the ruby from where it's stuck between two scales and lets it float to the floor, where it lands with a clunk.

"There you go, um...Do you really want me to call you Roseus?" He asks, leaning to the side so he can look into the sea monster's eyes.

I'm used to it by now. Roseus projects his thoughts directly into Percy's head.

"Well, okay then. And by the way, thanks." He says, sliding down Roseus's nose and landing lightly on the ground. "I doubt that old hag would have left so easily if you hadn't stepped in."

Don't mention it. You freed me from a lifetime of servitude. You have no idea how awful she is. Percy looks pointedly at the rubies on the floor and then inspects the creature's pink scales critically.

"I think I've got a pretty good idea, actually." He says dryly. Roseus snorts, and then nuzzles Percy, which almost makes him fall over.

Percy's adrenaline starts to fade, even though he's in water, and the pain from his back nearly brings him to his knees. His head has stopped hurting though, which is a plus.

He raises his arm and gingerly feels under his shirt for the cut, where it starts on his left shoulder. When he touches it, he grunts with pain, barely managing to remain conscious, and pulls his hand back. Then he pulls off his shirt and looks at the enormous rip in it. He sighs.

"I liked this shirt." He complains to Roseus. Roseus sniffs the shirt and then jerks his head back, shaking his head. Percy tentatively sniffs it himself and then wrinkles his nose in disgust.

"Yeah, I guess it does kind of stink." He sighs again. "Oh well." He looks hopefully around the room, very aware of the deep cut in his back, along with the knowledge of the looks he would get if he returned to the Argo II shirtless.

"Hey, Roseus? You wouldn't happen to know of anywhere I could find a new shirt, would you?" To his surprise, Roseus nods.

Thalassa loves visitors. But she doesn't like it when people wear colors that clash with the room. She keeps all the closets and dressers in the guest rooms full.

Oh, great, Percy thinks. I'll probably end up a hot pink silk dress shirt. But he follows Roseus down the enormous corridor after retrieving both Riptide and the trident.

In the first guest room they come to, the clothes are for a girl. Same in the second. Percy starts to worry a little. Not about clothes, but about the time. The Argo II probably already passed overhead. Percy's not really worried about that. But if he doesn't hurry up, the ship might get to far away for him to be able to sense it, which he can't do while he's in the palace, for some reason.

He shouldn't have worried. In the third guest room, after digging to the bottom of the very last drawer, he manages to find a plain light blue T-shirt that doesn't look too bad. But then, when he goes to put it on, he remembers that he's still bleeding, and it'll soak through the shirt if he puts it on. So then he has to go to the infirmary, although why Thalassa would have one of those in her palace is beyond him. There he finds some cotton bandages and medical tape that'll do the job just fine, and, using both hands and a mirror-along with his teeth-he somehow manages to cover his wound. He knows it won't last for very long, though, and that he needs ambrosia and nectar to heal it before he passes out from blood loss. He knows he's been trailing blood since the throne room. He could see it in the water. So, yeah, not good.

He quickly puts on the shirt and asks Roseus to show him the fastest way out. They go back to the throne room. Apparently the ceiling is one of only two ways in or out. As Percy is getting ready to swim up, he notices Roseus has a sad look in his eyes. He gets the sense that the creature doesn't have any idea what he's going to do next.

"Hey, Roseus." He jerks his head up at his name. "Do you want to come with me?" Percy gestures to the ceiling. "I know it might not be your idea of fun to follow around a ship full of demigods, but you'll get plenty of free meals. Monsters always hang around us, but none of them are anywhere near as big as you. You could keep them away from us, while at the same time you'll have enough food to last you for ages. And I doubt Thalassa will come after us any time soon, but if she does, then I'll be close by to keep her from using her mind against you again."

Percy's basically babbling now. He realizes that he doesn't really want to have to leave Roseus. It's been a long time since he's come across a friendly monster. Too long. And now he's gotten attached to the big guy.

Roseus doesn't move. He just stares at Percy as if he's grown a second head. Percy's heart sinks. He'd been hoping he could convince him. But then Roseus lets out a joyful whinny and noses Percy again, actually knocking him down this time.

I would love to come with you, friend. He says, his radioactive green eyes shining even brighter. Percy grins, and climbs onto Roseus' back, between one of the spikes, at Roseus' insistence.

And then the two new friends swim as fast as they can towards the sun.

Roseus is my baby. I love him. He sprang fully-formed from my thoughts. Funny what my imagination can come up with. ;)